What are we thinking about bumbags? Being a virgo I’m all for fashion meets function and bumbags are the epitome of that, with the added bonus of tapping into the eighties rehash. I’m surprised it’s taken American Apparel so long to latch on but I finally saw a nice purple one in the window today.
A delivery from Amazon yesterday brought me Tiffany’s Table Manners For Teenagers by Walter Hoving. Written in the sixties it’s a very witty book about table manners –useful but quirky– I recommend it!
My first foray to LFW this week. No show tickets today so I went to have a nose at the exhibition tent. What a palaver! No bags allowed in the cloakroom due to ‘lack of space’. They should make more space next time or at least warn us poor suckers in advance. What’s the point in foisting the outsized bag trend on us if we can’t park the buggers in the cloakroom!
The big trend was lots of chunky knits in neutral colours (Madeleine Press, J & M Davidson, Diab’less) and I spotted some fab jewellery –especially French designer Elia Stone and old favourites Tatty Devine (Perspex grand piano brooches and bow tie necklaces –fun!) who are having their shop relaunch soiree tomorrow (236 Brick Lane, E2) and have ordered in hundreds of umbrellas for the event.
Accessories label Lowie (www.ilovelowie.com) has branched out into clothing with a capsule knitwear collection – think leg-o-mutton puff sleeves in bright felt-tip pen colours.
Shoe-wise Lulu Guinness is championing a darling mini-heel next season, especially on a sexy beatnik-y ankle boot which I’m told is in store end of July. I’m so there!
New labels I liked included Nocollection (www.nocollection.com) which has been around in France for 5 years – very Vanessa Bruno – and Modernist (www.modernistonline.com) which was all black and interesting and wearable. I also liked Zoe Tees– a collection of mostly T-shirty type pieces in washed cotton and lots of stripes. I know it’s all been done before but it just looked so cool and easy to wear.
After LFW I headed to TopShop and Urban Outfitters for some teen spotting as it was half term. Everywhere has gone nu rave crazy which I guess should be expected as it’s the biggest street style trend we’ve had for a while.
This month I’m loving…
Chanel beige ballerina flats – to wear with the Gap boy-cut khakis I have in my mind but which don’t actually exist yet
Tracey Emin book – but maybe I should look at some of the books I’ve already got first
Loft apartment in converted factory – hmm dream on sweetie
Gold Le Sportsac tote (yes I do really need another bag…)
Old school denim jacket – time for a revival, no?
Today’s news: Banana Republic is coming to London – to the old Dickins & Jones store. I can’t say it appeals to me (a more spendy version of Gap? No ta) and it seems other people think the same. I wonder how it will do?
In the meantime, I hear Phoebe Philo has been quietly designing for Gap. Of course, she has been paid thousands to do this and her influence can already be seen in the spring and high summer collections. The evidence? Lots of preppie-ish cottons, dresses and fine knits in a muted palette and some fabulous (but rather expensive) bags.